Information retrieval system

Details Information retrieval system Information retrieval system

1999-10-21

2003-03-04

Swarthout, Brent A. (Department: 2632)

Communications: electrical

Vehicle position indication

Map display

C340S988000, C342S457000, C701S211000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06529143

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information retrieval system to be installed in a vehicle, more precisely, to a system for transmitting data according to personally made selections to a user of the system when he arrives in the vicinity of a point of interest.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
To facilitate navigating by a car to unfamiliar places, different types of navigation systems have been developed wherein, e.g. the Global Positioning System (GPS) has been used. By means of them, the user can determine his position and acquire useful information, e.g. on airports.
By combining a positioning system, e.g. with other information distributed through a digital radio network, it is possible to build systems that benefit those moving by car more comprehensively than ever, as has been described in patent application publication EP 785 535. There a user is supplied with traffic and city information, on a radio path, onto the display of his mobile communication device. Although it is possible to supply information from several different sources to the user, the information is always provided in a consistent manner according to the type of the information with buttons with which he can select, e.g. a map or other information for being displayed. However, the data are supplied for being displayed to the user at the initiative of the user, i.e. the user himself always initiates the process as a result of which information that is of interest to him will be presented. Thus, he does not get all the information he would like or, alternatively, the user himself has to search for the information that is of interest to him without knowing when such information possibly becomes available to him.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,549 presents a system by means of which advertising data on different kinds of points of interest are transmitted in connection with a radio transmission to a terminal installed in a moving vehicle. The data comprise the exact geographical position of the points of interest, as well as detailed advertising information provided by the advertising company. The terminal determines its own position by means of a GPS device and calculates its distance from each point of interest. The terminal can also filter the data into a specific type according to the user's preferences. However, in the system, all the data therein are transmitted on a radio path as a continuous or repeated data flow even if no terminal was using them. In this way, the system wastes radio path capacity. As a result of this, the number of advertisements transmitted by the system is also limited because the data transfer rate on a radio path is normally quite low and it should be possible to send all the advertisements of the system one after another frequently enough so that the terminal utilising the system gets the required information on time. A positioning device installed in every vehicle also increases the costs of the system, especially the price of terminals.
The requirements set by safety and ergonomics should also be taken into consideration in all information retrieval and communication devices which are to be installed in a vehicle. Thus, vehicle devices should be as simple and easy to use as possible and the amount of interaction from the driver needed to use them should be minimised. Especially when a terminal installed in a vehicle places a large amount of information at the user's disposal it is appropriate to arrange a consistent and easy way to control the most frequently used functions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Now, a method and devices have been invented by means of which a mobile user can automatically be informed of geographical points of interest (POI) that are of interest to him, when specific threshold values are met and where the meeting of these values is monitored in a stationary ground station or stations. A user-specific terminal according to the invention comprises functionality of a mobile station by means of which the terminal can also be used with a mobile communication network for determining its position. Stations maintaining POI data are preferably fixed, located in a specific place but, alternatively, they can be placed, e.g. in a vehicle and connected to a mobile communication network using high-speed radio connection. According to the invention, data are collected on POIs in one or more databases, which are maintained in one or more ground stations. In addition, the mobility of the user is monitored if necessary in one or more ground stations and when the user arrives in the vicinity of any of the POIs, data on the POI in question are automatically transmitted wirelessly to his terminal, whereupon POI data are only transmitted when necessary. Of said stations, one or more can be in connection with one another or they can be integrated, and the stations can also be mobile although they preferably are fixed ground stations. In addition, the user can select his points of interest individually or in groups, he can select, e.g. service stations and local arts-and-crafts museums as his general points of interest. The user can preferably also himself set specific separation or travel time values on the POIs he has selected. When he is approaching a destination, which he has defined as being of interest to him and comes closer to it than a determined threshold separation, he will automatically receive an audiophonic and/or visual message. The message may contain, e.g. driving instructions, information on prices and opening hours, and other such information that has been input into the system by, e.g. the point of interest in question. A database of its own comprising POI data is preferably also arranged for the user terminal, which database the user can utilise without having to retrieve information wirelessly. Said own database can preferably be arranged to be updated using wirelessly received POI data, whereupon the need for wireless data transfer can be further decreased by the database. The user can also be offered in the destination's contact information among POI data, whereupon the user can establish, if he so desires, a data transfer connection to the point of interest, in a consistent way independent of the point of interest, by using a mobile station that belongs to the system. The information intended for the user can also be real-time, whereupon relevant traffic reports can also be transmitted by the system.
It is characteristic of a method according to a first aspect of the invention for informing a mobile person of a geographical point of interest that is of interest to him by means of an information retrieval device, that it comprises
allowing said person to define with said information retrieval device at least one point of interest he desires and a threshold separation, the threshold separation being at least one of the following variables: distance and time,
repeatedly monitoring the position of said information retrieval device,
collecting available information on all such destinations as said person has defined with said information retrieval device as his desired points of interest and which are within said threshold separation from the location of said information retrieval device,
sending information on such destination to said information retrieval device, and
informing said person with said information retrieval device of this kind of destination.
It is characteristic of a method according to a second aspect of the invention for informing a mobile person of a geographical point of interest that is of interest to him with an information retrieval device, that is comprises
allowing said person to define with said information retrieval device at least one point of interest he desires and a threshold separation, the threshold separation being at least one of the following variables: distance and time,
repeatedly monitoring the position of said information retrieval device,
collecting available information on all such destinations as said person has defined with said information retrieval device as his desired points of interes

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